Mayor Suzette Cooke

Elected by Kent voters every four years, the Mayor serves as Chief Executive Officer for the City of Kent. She works with a seven-member city council and over 600 city employees.

Mayor Cooke works closely with department directors to direct the many functions of city government, presides over City Council meetings and works with the Council members to develop ordinances and resolutions that protect the interests of Kent's residents and business owners.

She also prepares and, upon approval by the City Council, administers the City's biennial operating and capital budgets.

Meet the Mayor

Read her biography...

Suzette Cooke was elected Mayor of the City of Kent in 2005, re-elected in 2009 and re-elected again in 2013. She serves as CEO, working with Kent's seven-member city council and over 600 city employees.

During her terms as Mayor, Suzette has chaired the Valley Communications Center Administration Board, Kent Firemen's Relief and Pension Fund Board, and the South County Area transportation Board. She is chair of the King County Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee, is a member of the Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Committee, the Kent Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Suburban King County Coordinating Council on Gangs, Metropolitan King County Regional Policy and Global Cities Initiative. She has recently been appointed to the Regional Policy Committee by the Sound Cities Association and was also appointed and served on the King County's Regional Transit Task Force and the Board of Health.

Prior to serving as Mayor, Suzette was President/Executive Director of Renton and Kent Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Manager for the City of Burien, Director of the Kent Senior Center, Recreation Supervisor for Seattle Parks, and Recreation Specialist for the City of Bellingham. In the 1990’s she was elected to three terms in the Washington State House of Representatives where she chaired the Children & Family Services Committee.

On a personal note, Suzette has two stepsons who work in the medical field and two grandchildren. Her mother, Virginia, is a volunteer at the Kent Senior Activity Center.

Suzette’s love of the outdoors and appreciation for our environment is evident in her passion for fly-fishing and backpacking. She has climbed to the summit of eight of our state’s major peaks. For entertainment, she enjoys attending our local high schools’ theater productions. “They are so professional!”

Mayor Cooke's State of the City Address for 2015

Mayor Cooke presented her State of the City Address to the Kent Chamber of Commerce, Wednesday, March 4.